Abstract:
A study was conducted to make soil and surface measurements (temperature profiles, frozen ground level depths, surface colour, etc) on dark surfaces at chosen localities, to examine and sample the Taylor mineral deposit at the snout of the Taylor Glacier and up the glacier and to investigate the structure of the large snow-ice features on Mount Discovery and Mount Morning. Sampling in the Kennar ... Valley and around the Taylor Glacier completed a program of sampling from the coast to the Lashly Mountains 90km to the west, at the edge of the polar plateau. Microscopic examinations of various salt samples were undertaken in the field and at Scott Base to help elucidate the patterns of salt crystal growth. Surface and soil temperatures and frozen level depths were measured on several basalt cones on the slopes of Mt Discovery. The area of mineral discharge at the snout of the Taylor Glacier was closely examined. The orange coloured layers in the glacier around the glacier discharge site were mapped. The volume percentage of tephra in englacial layers was measured for layers in the glacier between Mount Morning and Mt Discovery and in the Fang Glacier windscoop. Volume percentage is a useful parameter for distinguishing direct airfall deposits from wind deposited tephra and for describing englacial debris layers generally. No volcanic salts were found on the snow free areas around the summit of Mount Morning and Mount Discovery. The large snow and ice features around the summits were examined and ice sample densities were measured.